History
The EVM was first conceived in 1977 and a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Department of Atomic Energy, Electronics Corporation of India Ltd. (ECIL), Hyderabad, was asked to design and develop it. A prototype was developed by 1979 and was demonstrated by the ECI before representatives of political parties the next year.
Once a broad consensus was reached to introduce it, another PSU, Bharat Electronic Ltd. (BEL), Bangalore, was co-opted along with ECIL to manufacture EVMs.
EVMs were first used in the 1982 general elections in Kerala. However, the absence of a specific law prescribing its use led to the Supreme Court striking down that election.
Subsequently, in 1989, an amendment was passed by the parliament which inserted Section 61A in the Representation of the People Act 1951, which empowered the ECI to use EVMs.
EVMs were rolled out to all parts of the country and since the 2004 Lok Sabha Elections EVMs are used in all 543 parliamentary constituencies.
Source: Barandbench
